On the surface, today is the start of free agency, Major League Baseball’s annual money grab, a game in which the only sure winners are the players. It’s a time when teams make big splashes designed to be watershed developments, but destined, in far too many cases, to be disasters.

“Once you sign these contracts,” said Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd, “then you have to live with them.”

For the Rockies, the free-agent signing period is much more than a time to kick a few tires and snatch a name or two out of the bargain bin. That’s been their M.O. since the Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle signings sent the franchise into free-fall mode, but things promise to be different this offseason.

Fact is, the Rockies never have been down the road on which they find themselves today. Case in point: Jorge De La Rosa. Typically, Rockies starting pitchers have attracted little, if any, interest on the open market. Not De La Rosa.

With Cliff Lee’s price tag precluding most clubs from pursuing him, it’s conceivable that De La Rosa could be the hottest commodity on the pitching market. And the Rockies figure to be among the bidders. The last time they hunkered down in anticipation of offering tens of millions to one of their own pitchers on the open market? Never.

It’s more than that, though. Never before have the Rockies had three dynamic young players, each of whom is arguably among the game’s top 25 talents.

Outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, recently voted the player of the year in the major leagues by his fellow players, is 25. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and ace Ubaldo Jimenez are 26. There isn’t another team in the industry with three players that talented and that young, and the Rockies know they have, realistically, three years, maybe four, to win big with their young stars. The key this offseason, starting today, is to surround them with enough talent to play in October.

“We’ve got to strike while the iron is hot,” Rockies pitching coach Bob Apodaca said. “We have two really special players and a really special pitcher in Ubaldo. You don’t know how long you’re going to have these guys.”

Granted, trying to gauge market dynamics is a crapshoot at best, but there are tangible signs that this year’s market could move quickly. Within an hour of the last pitch of the World Series, the union had bombarded the media with the list of free agents. And, unlike years past, when free agents had to negotiate exclusively with their own clubs for 15 days, that window was knocked down to five. So it is that, with the Giants’ champagne-soaked uniforms having just returned from the laundry, the market is opening.

Neither side is quite sure how fast the offers will start rolling in.

“A number of teams already have called me to inform me of sincere interest in Jorge,” said Bobby Barad, De La Rosa’s agent. “Does that lead me to believe things could move quickly? I don’t know.”

De La Rosa looms as the key to the Rockies’ free-agent strategy in more ways than one. O’Dowd was careful not to make him an offer during the exclusive-negotiating period, but that in no way was an indication that the Rockies don’t want him back. They just didn’t want to help set a market price. But what happens if their ability to re-sign De La Rosa is in doubt and O’Dowd’s Plan B pitchers — Jake Westbrook and Javier Vazquez figure to be on that list — sign elsewhere?

De La Rosa is one issue, but he’s hardly the only one. O’Dowd isn’t about to stomach another .226 team batting average on the road. The Rockies need an impact bat to hit behind Gonzalez in the three hole and Tulowitzki in the cleanup spot.

Victor Martinez, a switch-hitter with five .300 seasons on his resume, would be perfect, since he can catch and spell Todd Helton at first base. But he would be expensive. Ty Wigginton, who hit 22 home runs for the Orioles, would be a cheaper alternative, and he could play anywhere on the infield except shortstop.

The Rockies like Mike Napoli, a catcher-first baseman who hit 26 homers for the Angels, but he would have to come via trade. If all other options fall through, O’Dowd could dip into the scrap heap for Conor Jackson, who hit .291-.284-.300 with Arizona from 2006-08.

At any rate, via whatever route, the Rockies have to jump-start their lineup in 2011.

Crawford, Lee are at top of the class

Major League Baseball’s free-agent market, which opened today, features some big names but also some big risks. Denver Post baseball writer Jim Armstrong breaks it down.

Best of the best

Carl Crawford: Tampa Bay outfielder can hit, run and show teams a birth certificate less than 30 years old.

Cliff Lee: Ace pitcher figures to stay in Texas or take a bath in the Yankees’ money pit. Don’t bother bringing less than $100 million to these parties.

Yankees lifers

As if Hall-of-Famers-in-waiting Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera would leave the Bronx. Don’t count on it. And we’d put Andy Pettitte on that list too, except that he might be expendable if Lee signs with New York.

Falling fast

Two years ago, Lance Berkman was among the game’s most feared sluggers. Today, a lot of clubs don’t view him as an everyday player. And we won’t even talk about 38-year-old Manny Ramirez. How do you say “Manny being Manny” in Japanese?

Rockies shopping

Sure, the notion of catcher/1B Victor Martinez at Coors Field is a reach. But his Venezuelan homies in the clubhouse will work him hard. Other names to watch: pitchers Jake Westbrook and Javier Vazquez and corner infielder Ty Wigginton.

Tread still on tires

Paul Konerko, 1B; Carl Pavano, P; Vladimir Guerrero, DH, and Aubrey Huff, 1B, are all well into their 30s, but their bounceback seasons figure to get them strong interest.

Mr. Consistency

Say what you will about Adam Dunn, as long as you call him consistent. In the past seven seasons, Dunn has hit 38 to 46 home runs every year, including four consecutive years of 40. And he has driven in 100 to 106 runs in six of the past seven years. He turns 31 this week. If a team can put up with 180 to 200 strikeouts, he’s your guy.

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